A Lonely Heart
by i tinwe
Summary: A girl with a heavy past who is desperately seeking love and adventure is sent from her dreary, rural life to the midst of The War of the Ring. Will she adjust? Will she find love? Legolas/OC, Eomer/OC. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first LoTR fanfic and I'm super excited about how it'll work out. Reviews and pointers are _greatly_ appreciated and totally make my day! So, please, R&R :)**

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><p><span>Dark are my Dreams<span>

Chloe's dream world was exactly the same as her everyday world, except that everything was bathed in a golden light that radiated from its inhabitants. It was beautiful. The glow from the sun setting behind the hills to the west of the valley only added to the magical, otherworldly feel. The old houses and barns looked new, the animals looked healthy, the grass smelled fresh and the water seemed clean. The world was also silent. There was no gossiping, no shouting, no bleating sheep and no birds singing; absolute silence.

She knew it was a dream. It had to be, everyone was smiling at her. Hardly anyone ever smiled at her these days. If they did it was usually because they needed someone to warm their bed for the night. Also, her usually dark hair was now a brilliant hue of sun-kissed blonde, and instead of the normal tangled mess, it fell in soft curls down to the small of her back.

Chloe looked around at all the familiar, happy faces. She could see her father, her two sisters and her two brothers. Then there was Pierre, Hugo, Christophe, Enzo and Martine… Everyone… People she had known her entire life; all her 20 years. Growing up in a tiny village situated in the middle of nowhere, everyone knew everybody, and secrets were few and hard to hide.

At peace and with a small smile on her tired face, Chloe made her way towards the big barn, where, from behind the small woods that split the village in two, it stood proud on the top of a hill. There the golden light shone the brightest and she felt an irresistible draw to it. The path that led through the woods trailed unevenly between trees, tree stumps and undergrowth, but having walked the path so many times before, Chloe could have followed it blindfolded. She walked at a leisurely pace, enjoying the peace and quiet, with the rest of the village trailing behind. Even though she could not hear them, she could sense the crowd following her; their combined glow caused a soothing and gentle warmth.

Every now and again as they passed through the trees, Chloe stretched out her hands and let her fingers slide against the rough bark of low hanging branches. Where her fingers met wood, the golden glow melted away and smoke rose into the air. She stopped briefly to examine the marks that her fingers left, but quickly lost interest and continued along the half-hidden path.

As she broke through the tree-line a mouth-watering, bewitching scent reached her on the gentle breeze. It smelled like food; delicious food. Hunger set in and Chloe sped up immediately, as did the people behind her. The wind held a promise of a feast without measure. Her stomach rumbled in anticipation. She could scarcely remember the last time she'd been able to eat to her heart's content.

Chloe's breathing grew heavier as she made her way up the steep hill, but soon enough she was at the top. She raised a tentative hand to the gnarled, ancient door and knocked lightly three times. It swung open without a sound, and out of the doorway came a light so intense Chloe had to look away. With eyes watering and with baited breath she waited for the light to subside. Only when it had dulled considerably did she risk another look. Her heart sank with disappointment. There was nothing but darkness inside. No food. Tears of frustration welled up and threatened to spill, but Chloe would have none of it.

She peered hesitantly into the darkness, reluctant to enter without a little light. Still there was nothing. As she started to back away the people behind her closed in, forcing her forwards. With a small squeak, Chloe clung to the door frame, but a hard shove pushed her inside.

She took it as a bad sign when the door closed behind her, separating her from the light outside, and decided that maybe her dream world wasn't so perfect after all. Her breathing hitched as the darkness loomed in on her. One of the few things Chloe feared was the dark, she had as far back as she could remember, and she could feel her chest tighten as unwanted memories played before her eyes; a dark well and drunken laugher. Her stomach tightened. Chloe could feel she was losing grip on herself; her knees started shaking, her throat constricted and her heart beat frantically. _It's only a dream,_she thought to herself_._ _I__'__ll __wake __up __soon __enough._She turned around and took a few nervous steps forward with her hands stretched out in front of her, searching for the door, but met nothing but air.

A small giggle penetrated the eerie silence. Chloe screamed and jumped with fright, searching frantically for any sign of movement. Her heart felt ready to burst out of her chest. She stood frozen, rooted to the spot for what felt like an eternity. When nothing more happened she braved a few more shaky steps forward. _It__'__s still __only __a __dream_, she reassured herself.

Her bare foot stepped suddenly on something hard and cool, but this time she clamped her hand over her mouth to stop from screaming. _It__'__s __only __a __dream_… Whatever it was she had stepped on certainly did not appreciate it. Slowly, it wound itself around Chloe's leg, effectively hindering her from escaping. Helplessly, she hit, pulled and scratched at the trap but it would not budge.

All of a sudden she felt invisible hands all over her body; pinching, poking and pulling at her hair. The giggling turned into a cold, mocking laugh that made her hairs stand on end. Chloe, who was close to fainting, slumped to the ground in terror with her hands over her ears.

"Who are you? Leave me alone!" She screamed. Tears poured down her face. She didn't know how much more she could take.

"Please! Let me be…" Her voice faltered at the end. _Was __this __really __just __a __dream?_ Unexpectedly, the bonds on her foot let go and the laughter faded. There was silence for a while. Then the room started spinning; up and down, and to and fro. Chloe felt the air leave her lungs as she was flung back and forth, her back colliding painfully with what she thought was the ceiling. With a sickening crunch, her head made contact with something hard. Pain jolted through her body. She could feel bile rise in her throat. She was going to die, she was sure of it. A white light seared behind her eyelids and there was a thunderous roar in her ears. Then, all went blank.


	2. Chapter 2

Like a circus

"Milady?"

…

"Milady!"

Chloe woke with a start, her hands flying to the back of her head. She winced as she felt a tender bump. When she looked at her hands she saw to her horror that they had blood on them. Not much, but still…

"Milady, are you alright?"

Chloe's eyes snapped upwards, meeting the worried gaze of a handsome yet rugged looking man. He had dark, shoulder-length hair, a few weeks worth of stubble and intelligent grey eyes that studied her cautiously. He wore dark travelling clothes, tall leather boots and a grey-green cloak fastened by a beautiful leaf-shaped brooch. His left hand was raised in a gesture of peace whilst his right was outstretched towards her. Her heart immediately told her that he was no foe, and Chloe took the proffered hand and let the stranger help her up.

"Thank you," she said politely. She wrapped her arms around herself to stop from shivering as a cold gust of wind blew by. The man inclined his head with a small smile. Chloe didn't miss the lingering gaze on her body. Self conscious, Chloe glanced down at her appearance. She gasped. She was only clad in her nightwear, not to mention it was absolutely filthy. She lifted a hand to her hair and felt that it too needed a proper wash. Looking like she did the stranger must think her mad!

Chloe noticed then, for the first time since waking up, her surroundings. She was on a pebbled beach running alongside a long and fast-flowing river. A few yards away to her left there was the tree-line to a huge forest. She didn't recognize anything and felt a small surge of panic. _Where am I? How did I get here? Who is the stranger?_ There were so many questions that needed answering.

"May I ask your name? " Chloe met the eyes of the stranger again. She answered somewhat reluctantly. What if he had heard about her? Would he still help her?

"I'm Chloe Lambert."

"Lady Chloe." He whispered the name to himself a few times, apparently finding it foreign. "I am Strider," he said eventually. Strider smiled and so did Chloe. From his reaction she guessed that she was as much a stranger to him as he was to her. Besides, no one had ever called her a lady before. It was wonderful to meet someone who didn't know of her past, someone that didn't look at her with judgement in their eyes.

"Miss Lambert, why are you here? It is not safe. These are dangerous times."

"I don't know." Strider's brow furrowed.

"You do not know?"

"Yes sir, I don't know. I just woke up." Chloe pointed to the ground and Strider's eyes turned worried again.

"Milady, are you sure you are alright?" _Besides being utterly clueless to where I am_? Chloe thought somewhat sarcastically.

"I'm quite sure. Although, my head does hurt a little." Without another word Strider moved behind her and inspected the injury. Chloe tensed. She bit her lip to keep from crying out loud when he poked at the bump. It hurt more than she thought it would.

"Lady Chloe, your wound needs tending to. My camp is just around the bend. There we have food and fresh water, and a change of clothing as well." Chloe noted the "we", but accepted the offer without any hesitation. So far Strider had been nothing but kind and had done nothing to make her suspect he had nefarious plans. Just as well, her body felt shaky from hunger. Besides, he might be able to answer a few of her questions.

They walked side by side up the river until they turned around the corner. There, close to the bank as Strider had said, was a makeshift camp. A short, heavyset man with a full beard was busy with moving packs from three beautifully carved boats to the shore. Three small boys were trying to light a fire, and a fair-haired man was focused intently on sharpening a pair of long hunting knives. The blonde man looked up, giving her a curious look before turning to Strider. Both men inclined their heads.

"Aragorn…"

"Legolas."

As they passed Legolas, Chloe did a double take when she suddenly noticed his ears. They were pointed! She couldn't help but stare openly, and blushed when he caught her doing so. Legolas' eyes were a striking light blue in contrast to her own dark blue ones, and though Legolas didn't look a day over 23 his eyes held something that seemed far beyond his years. Chloe was unable to hold his gaze for long and quickly looked down at her dirty feet. Her gaze then glided over to the small boys who were all shooting her curious glances. To her amazement she saw that they weren't really boys; just extremely short men. To top it off, all of them had very large and very hair feet. What was this place? A circus? It was all so surreal. Perhaps she was still dreaming?

Strider didn't miss her gawking either. He chuckled lightly to himself.

"Lady Lambert, this is Legolas. One of my companions."

"Nice to meet you." Chloe bobbed a small curtsey.

"Likewise," Legolas replied with a bow of his head. He then turned back to Strider and spoke in a language unlike anything Chloe had ever heard before.

"_Man hen? Man câr hi?_"

"_Avo drasto. Boe den eliad ar boe de nestad.__"_

"_Henion_."

Legolas didn't seem entirely satisfied with the answer he got, but he relaxed a little. Chloe wasn't quite sure what to say or do. Gingerly, she poked the welt at the back of her head. It still hurt. Strider noticed what she was doing and took her hand in his. His hand was rough and dwarfed hers, but it was warm, and felt safe and secure. He led her over to one of the bigger bags.

"Please, sit down. It will make things easier." Chloe did as she was told. She was, after all, the guest. Behind her Chloe could hear a lot of rummaging going on and turned her head. She was immediately turned back around.

"Keep your head straight. This might sting."She hissed through clenched teeth and bit her lip as Strider cleaned and patched up the wound. The pain didn't last long though as Strider was finished in no time. It was apparent that this wasn't the first time he had treated a head wound.

Strider patted her shoulder and helped her to her feet. He stooped down and picked up a bundle of clothing.

"These will be too big for you but it will keep you warm. You can change behind the boulder over there." He pointed to a massive boulder that, even if she stood up straight, would hide her completely from prying eyes.

Chloe was touched at his kindness and even though she knew it was unwise to be too trusting, she couldn't help it. She was truly glad Strider had been the one to find her.

"Thank you so much. You really are too kind."

"Think nothing of it. You should change before you catch a cold."

Chloe smiled as she finished fastening her cloak and wrapped it around her slim body. The clothes were much too big for her; the breeches were too long and she was almost swimming in the shirt. The large boots made walking difficult as she waddled her way over to the campfire. She looked like a child trying on her father's clothes and the short men couldn't hide their grins as they saw her. They were also quick to introduce themselves. The slightly chubby one to the left was first.

"Hello Miss. Begging your pardon, but, I'm Samwise Gamgee." Sam's big, brown eyes looked nervous, like a rabbit who wanted to hide down his hole. Chloe couldn't help but smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Chloe Lambert."

"What an odd name," the man to the right exclaimed. He looked to be the smallest and youngest of the lot, and had a rather mischievous look about him. The man next to him elbowed him in the ribs.

"Don't be rude to the lady, Pippin." He then turned to Chloe.

"I'm Merry," he said. He then pointed at Pippin who was rubbing his ribs and scowling at Merry. "This is Pippin." Chloe laughed.

"If you don't mind me asking, how is it you are all so short?" Sam, Pippin and Merry all looked up at her and smiled.

"We're Hobbits," they said proudly. "From the Shire."

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><p>Translations:<p>

Man hen? Man câr hi? - Who is she? What is she doing here?  
>Avo drasto. Boe den eliad ar boe de nestad. - Don't worry. She needs to be helped and needs healing<br>Henion - I understand

_Le hannon_, Gwedhiel0117 for the review. It truly made my day! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here's the next chapter. Please read and review. It means a lot! :)**

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><p><span>The horn of Gondor<span>

"You are now just a few hours south of Lothlórien and…"

Chloe's question kept the Hobbits talking for quite some time, something she was secretly pleased with. In all honesty, she was almost too scared to talk, now that the full weight of her situation had dawned upon her. Not only was she outside of her village for the first time in her life, but judging from what the Hobbits had told her she was also somewhere far, far away; places she had never heard of, places she could only dream about. Moreover, she learned that, besides from animals, humans weren't alone on earth. The Hobbits had told her of Dwarves and of Elves, but chiefly about themselves. They were a very proud people and very fond of their home, and Chloe wondered audibly what they were doing so far away from their beloved Shire. Pippin opened his mouth to tell her, but stopped when Strider, who had been listening from afar, rested his hand on Pippin's shoulder.

"I am afraid, Lady Lambert, that this is something we cannot tell you. Not yet at least." Chloe felt slightly saddened that they didn't trust her, but understood where he was coming from. It's not every day one finds a foreign woman, dressed only in her nightgown, asleep on a river bend.

"I understand."

"Good… -" Strider was about to say something else when, from somewhere deep in the forest, a horn sounded.

"The horn of Gondor!" Legolas exclaimed.

"Boromir!" Strider yelled. In an instant all the men were on their feet and strapping swords and knives to their belts, with the exception of Legolas who strapped on a bow and a quiver full of arrows. The heavyset man Chloe now knew to be a Dwarf called Gimli took only a battle axe. How he could lift it, what with all the armor he had on as well, was besides her.  
>A big, gloved hand suddenly grabbed Chloe's shoulder.<p>

"Chloe, please stay here. You will be safe for the time being. We will draw attention to ourselves, but if anything comes out of those trees, run. If worst comes to worst…" Strider handed her a short dagger that, by the looks of it, was mainly used for kitchen duty.

"Use it well." With that, the Fellowship, including the Hobbits, who Chloe doubted would be of much help in a fight, ran into the forest leaving Chloe to herself and more than confused. What did the horn mean?

The minutes ticked by and each one made Chloe more worried than the last. She sat down by the fire with a feeling in her stomach that something bad was about to happen. She clutched the dagger closer to herself as if it could protect her as a shield. If worst truly came to worst she wouldn't stand a chance. Chloe smiled wryly as old memories reminded her of that.  
>When she had been nine or ten years old, Chloe had thought it an exceptional idea to try her big brother's sword. To start with, she had barely managed to lift it, let alone swing it. Second of all, she had an uncanny ability to trip over her own feet. She was still quite unsure about how it had happened, but the escapade had ended with a bruised Chloe and one dead chicken.<p>

Chloe froze as she heard movement from the forest and gripped the dagger tighter. She strained her ears for any sounds out of the ordinary, but apart from the wind, the rushing river and the crackling of the fire there was none. As silently as she could, she inched her way over to the huge boulder she had changed behind. It would hide her from unfriendly eyes and if need be it would give her the advantage of height. She gulped and tried her best to calm down. _Strider will be fine and so will the others._ _They __have __to __be__…_

About twenty minutes must have passed when Chloe could hear someone come running... fast. Her breath quickened and she swallowed nervously. Flashes of various small fights she had witnessed flared before her eyes, and adrenaline melted away her fears. She wasn't quite sure why, but she felt an urge to protect the camp. It was, for the time being, her safe haven. Chloe peered around the corner, preparing for the worst, and saw instead dark curly hair. It was the Hobbit she had yet to meet, Frodo.

Chloe crept forward from her hiding place to greet him, and noticed, to her delight, that there was no blood on him; just a few black smudges. On second thought though, the smudges did look vaguely blood like. Did Hobbits have black blood? Chloe cringed at the thought. If that were the case it would be very unnatural and otherworldly. Then again, who was she to talk? She had somehow been transported from her bed at home in rural England, to the shore of a river called Anduin.

Frodo was so occupied with dragging his packs from the fire to the boat that Chloe had to clear her throat to get his attention. The other Hobbits had portrayed him as gentle and kind, so it was to her great surprise that he spun around with a glowing sword in his hand. In response, her hands tightened around the handle of the dagger she held. Chloe noticed that Frodo's left hand was clasped around a necklace, and that he almost seemed to be stroking it. The two of them stared at each other for some time.

"Who are you?" Frodo asked at last, looking at her with clear scepticism.

"I am Chloe Lambert."

"What are you doing here? "Chloe almost smiled. _If only I knew the answer to that._

"It's a bit hard to explain, but the summary is that Strider found me asleep on the bend." Frodo's brow furrowed and his hand seemed to tighten around the necklace.

"Why were you asleep on the bend?"

"Good question. I'm afraid I don't know. I fell asleep in my bed at home, and when I woke up, I was here."

Frodo's frown deepened and his eyes shifted nervously to the boat. He opened his mouth to say something, presumably to ask another question, when Sam's voice called out.

"Frodo!"

Sam came charging out of the woods, panting hard, and sprinted on his short feet over to Frodo who was slowly inching towards the boat.

"Mr. Frodo," Sam said between pants. "I thought you were leaving to Mordor."

"I was." Frodo said, shooting Chloe a look she couldn't quite read. Sam looked very upset, something Frodo saw at once.  
>"I have to, Sam, and I'm going alone." Sam's gaze hardened suddenly with determination.<p>

"No, Frodo. Not alone. I'm going with you." He then proceeded to clamber into the boat and sat there with his arms crossed. He then muttered under his breath:  
>"Don't you leave him, Samwise Gamgee. And I don't mean to."<br>Frodo gave Chloe a long look before he too climbed into the boat. Sam looked up at Chloe.

"You won't come with us, will you?" Chloe bit her lip. Should she go? Frodo didn't seem very particular to her, even though he looked the very picture of friendly with his huge, blue eyes. She didn't know whether the rest of the Fellowship was still alive or not, and she didn't feel like being alone when there was obvious danger lurking in the forests. She knew she wouldn't last the night. Then again, from what she had managed to piece together of the things the Hobbits had told her earlier on, Mordor was a very dangerous place.

Frodo, who almost seemed to read her mind, made her decision for her.

"The rest of the Fellowship will survive. They are all excellent warriors. You should stay with them." Chloe nodded.  
>She then helped the Hobbits push the boat deeper into the river, and watched as they paddled across with a small amount of trepidation. She stood alone on the shore for some time, with the wind playing gently with her hair. It was completely quiet and fear seeped slowly back into her heart.<p>

"Good luck," she whispered.

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><p>Thank you so much for reviews and favorites. Keep them up. They make my day :)<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for the wait, but lately I've been busy as a bee. Here's the next chapter and I hope you will enjoy it. Also, _please,_ read and review :)**

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><p><span>The breaking of the fellowship<span>

Chloe sat back down by the fire, waiting, hoping, and praying. She prayed to God and to the Fellowship's divine beings, if they had any. They hadn't seemed at all religious to her, at least. She hadn't seen anyone wearing other pendants of other religions around their necks, or a cross as she did. Distractedly, she rubbed the precious silver pendant, a small tear trailing down her face. She put her head in her hands and rubbed her temples, trying to calm down. She knew that if it hadn't been for that the shock of her transition that was still fresh in mind, she would have been more scared than she already was. Chloe was secretly happy about that; she didn't like her emotions taking over. She couldn't afford it. Not now. But for the moment, she shut her mind off and let her thoughts wander.

What on earth had happened? Chloe had always wanted to live in a fairytale; the kind filled with magic and knights in shining armour. Hers, however, turned out to be quite different. Her saviours weren't knights in shining armour, nor, as far as she knew, did they have any title to their name. Unless, of course, you counted "gardener" to be one. Sam had seemed very proud of his profession…

She also had no idea how far away from home she was, or how to go back. And she certainly had no idea as to how she came to be here. Why had this happened to her? Yes, she had sinned, but she had also done her best to amend them. _Why __me? __Why __now?_

Her eyes scanned the tree line and, after a moment, she could see that something was moving not too far away from her. Something big… Chloe turned white and had to bite her lip hard to keep from screaming when something, which could only be described as a monster, strode out of the forest. The thing was humanoid in stature and was a few inches taller than her. Its legs and arms were thick with muscle and its skin was dark, mottled. It had small eyes and a mouth full of fangs. Anything more than that was hard to see since its face was covered in blood. It had long, dark, unkempt hair, and wore thick leather armour. It turned around a couple of times and held its left hand in front of its eyes to shield from the sun. In its right hand it held a long sword that was bent near the bottom, and had a razor-sharp edge with a pointed thrust. Chloe noticed that the ugly creature had a huge gash on the side of its head. The monster appeared to be confused, almost dazed, but seemed to be more in control of itself for each passing second. If Chloe didn't act fast it could spot her at any moment.

As silently as she could, hoping she had not already been noticed, she crept her way back to the huge boulder behind her, all the way gripping the dagger tightly. She knew that she would have no real chance against the creature, even if it seemed out of sorts. For all she knew it could be an act; a trap. Chloe sent a quick prayer to God, crossed herself and hoped luck was on her side. She hoped that the monster was already fatally wounded. As it so happened, luck was not on her side and God was apparently busy eating lunch.

The monster froze suddenly and started to sniff around. Chloe realized in horror that it was trying to smell her. The wind shifted suddenly, moving downwind from her to the monster. It lifted its head and roared, advancing towards her hiding place. The monster knew where she was hiding! She bit her lip in terror, not quite stopping a small squeak from escaping. She bit her lip so hard, in fact, that she could feel a drop of blood dribble down her chin. She heard the monster stop and sniff the air again. It laughed.

"I can smell man flesh. I smell blood. There is no use in hiding." It said in a deep, raspy voice. The thing could speak! Fear washed through Chloe. Her hands shook, her knees wobbled. Tears started to spill, and, in sheer terror, she scrambled up the boulder, desperate for any form of advantage. This reminded her too much of her dream, and her dream was still fresh, still raw. She gripped the handle of the dagger as hard as she could, her knuckles turning white, and pointed the blade towards the monster.

"Stay away from me." She warned, trying her best to keep her voice steady, hoping that the monster would go away. For good measure she waved the blade at it, trying to seem threatening. It was her hope, however small, that the monster would see her as the stronger one and stay away from her. It tended to work with dogs, so it was worth a try. Anything that didn't involve getting too close was worth a try.

If only Aragorn had been here. If only she had joined Frodo and Sam. So many ifs… Again, the monster laughed, and what little hope Chloe had left, vanished. The ugly creature lifted its own crude sword and roared. Chloe almost wet herself and fell to her knees. She was absolutely powerless and she barely had control over her fear. The monster circled the boulder, looking for somewhere its bulky frame could climb up or reach her. Chloe imagined she heard the sound of running feet, but dismissed it as her desperate hope to be saved. However, she was reminded of a client and friend back in her village; Pierre. He had always helped her when she was in need. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, and did a last valiant attempt at swallowing her fears. She needed to focus. She needed to get control of herself.

Chloe got slowly to her feet and followed the monster with her eyes. It grunted, clearly annoyed that it couldn't reach her. _Lucky __for __me_, she thought dryly, _it __hasn't __thought __about __throwing __the __sword__…_ She took a deep breath to calm herself down. If the monster, heaven forbid, managed to get to her, she would have to be ready to run like Strider had told her to. Quickly averting her eyes from the growling creature, she tried to look for the best places to run. None seemed optimal. Hopefully she was the faster runner. Hopefully she wouldn't trip.

The scraping sound of metal on rock made Chloe flinch. The monster had managed to find a way up whilst still clutching its sword, and was slowly getting closer and closer. She looked around frantically, looking for the best side of the boulder to slide down. There was nothing for it, she would have to run.

**CRASH!**

...

The monster, over halfway up, fell down and landed face first in the ground, dead. A sleek arrow protruded from the back of its head, and out from the woods came none other than the Elf Legolas. As she saw the familiar face, Chloe felt all strength leave her body as she collapsed and, with nothing to hold on to, she tumbled down the side of the boulder. Legolas bounded over to her, and with inhuman reflexes, caught her mere inches from the ground. Her vision swam. This was all too much for her.

"Chloe?" Legolas asked. She didn't respond. She couldn't. She feared that she would start to cry instead, and once she started there was a good chance she wouldn't be able to stop. What she desperately needed was a hot bath and a good, long sleep. Legolas seemed to sense this and picked her up gently and, with apparent ease, carried her over to the glow of the dying fire. Without a word he handed her his cloak which, to Chloe's surprise, was much lighter and softer than it looked. Legolas helped drape it over her shoulders and she gave him a shaky smile in return – it was all she could muster.

Not long after, she could hear more people coming towards the camp. She turned her head and saw that Aragorn and Gimli were carrying a man. _That has to be Boromir_, she thought. Curious as to what he looked like, she strained her eyes and blinked away the remaining tears and gasped; Boromir's chest was covered in blood. Her hands flew to her mouth. She had seen wounds before, people who had been bitten or cut themselves, but never had she seen someone wounded in battle and never wounds of this severity. The sight of blood and the paleness that seemed to spread from within brought fresh tears to her eyes. She was on her feet in an instant. She swayed slightly before she rushed over to the group. She knew about herbs. She could heal him! Aragorn however held out a hand to stop her.

"It is no use. He is gone." Chloe stopped dead in her tracks and found that she had to lean on Aragorn's arm for support. Her heart wept for the unknown man. She had dearly wanted to meet him. The Hobbits had told not a bad word about him. She had so many unanswered questions. Did he have a family? A loving wife? Looking up she saw the sadness in Aragorn's eyes. She saw it in Gimli and Legolas as well, the latter looking a little confused; as if death was the last thing he expected, almost as if it were impossible that something like that could happen. She hung her head, crossed herself and silently asked God to let the brave warrior pass through the golden gates.

The silence lasted for a while, the Fellowship both regaining their strength and mourning for the fallen. It was too quiet. She looked around, searching for something that was missing. Or someone…

"Where is Merry and Pippin?" Her question seemed to have struck a chord as Gimli let out a low sob.

"The Uruk-hai took them."

Chloe guessed that it was the same type of creature that had attacked her. Her eyes widened in horror.

"Are they dead?"

"No lassie," Gimli replied. A strange fire seemed to burn in his eyes. "They were carried away. And I say we get them back." Legolas turned sharply to the Dwarf.

"If we are quick, we will catch Frodo and Sam by nightfall. They cannot go to Mordor by themselves! It is folly!" He immediately started packing up his things.

"Daro, Legolas. Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands." Aragorn sighed heavily and suddenly looked very old and weary, as if the fight had drained him completely.

"First we must figure out what we shall do with Chloe, and then we must give Boromir a proper farewell." Aragorn turned to her.

"From here there are many leagues to the next village. We will hunt down the Uruk-hai to save Pippin and Merry from a fate worse than death, and to do so we must run day and night with little rest. Legolas can carry you when you need it the most, but if you are to join us you will need to run hard. It is much, I know, but that is what I ask of you."

Chloe gulped, but saw that she didn't really have a choice. She could either run with the company of the strong warriors, or she could try to fend for her own in the unknown wilderness until she found a village. If she could find a village, that was. And she didn't even know where the nearest village was.

"I will go with you." _And I will try my best…_ _for the Hobbits._

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><p>Translations:<p>

Daro - Stop


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hia! Finally, here's the next chapter however short it may be. Sorry for the long wait, but I just wanted to finish all important school work and get that out of the way. Now that the holidays are nearing, the teacher's are piling it up *sighs* Continuing on; please enjoy, and please read and review :)**

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><p><span>The Long Run<span>

They had been running for almost three days and nights with little food and rest, a fact Gimli felt the need to bring up every now and again. Chloe had a feeling, however, that if it hadn't been for her being so much weaker than the others, they would have had much less of both. She was extremely grateful for the Fellowship's kindness and consideration, and knew that she had been strangely fortunate, giving her situation. She wondered, fleetingly as she ran, how long it would last.

Every now and again she tried to strike up a conversation with either Gimli or Legolas, even though she found it hard to speak through her panting breaths, but neither of them was inclined to talk much. Gimli just grumbled about food, rest and something about how much he disliked Legolas' and his Elven stamina. He also threw in the occasional comment about how much better the Dwarves were compared to the Elves. He often mentioned beer. Legolas seemed preoccupied with his own thoughts, but unlike Gimli, he didn't feel the need to voice them. He often stopped to scan the vast area with his keen vision, and sometimes relayed what he saw to Strider. Chloe could not understand what though, as he preferred to use some Elven tongue.

By midday it seemed to Chloe as if they would never reach the Hobbits. Not in time at least. As far as her eyes could see there was nothing but grass and rock; an endless barren plain. It stretched from horizon to horizon, and she wondered frequently if it were even possible to reach the other side. She knew she certainly wouldn't make it with the fast pace they were keeping. She was past just being tired. She was close to dead on her feet, which were sore and ached beyond measure. Her calves burned with every step. She desperately needed a warm bath to sooth her stiff and painful joints. The only thing spurring her on was the fear of being left alone. Out here in the open, Chloe felt more vulnerable than ever. Out here there was nowhere to hide.

So far Legolas had only had to carry her twice, and even though he had said it was no problem at all, Chloe felt that it was two times too many. Fortunately for her, she was in the prime of her youth and was used to strenuous work, but even so, she was completely exhausted. There was no doubt about it. She could scarcely put one leg in front of the other, her head felt heavy yet woolen, and her breathing was constantly labored. To make things worse, her stomach wouldn't be silent no matter how much she willed it to. Chloe hoped no one would notice, but she had a sneaking suspicion that Legolas might know, what with him not being human. His senses all seemed to her to be much keener than everyone else's, except maybe Strider who also seemed to have finely tuned senses. He would occasionally listen to the ground, tracking the Uruk-hai's movement. He was truly in tune with the wild nature.

By the time the sun was setting on the third day, Chloe could take no more and collapsed into a heap on the ground. She struggled upright into a sitting position, but couldn't for the life of her get up on her feet. However, there was no need. Legolas was by her side in an instant, and had her in his arms the next. Without missing a beat he was off running again, with no time to lose, closely followed by Gimli who was struggling to keep up and constantly grumbling under his breath.

"Thank you. This is the third time…." Chloe trailed off, her thoughts scattering everywhere. She blamed it on her need for sleep, but a small voice in the back of her head told her smugly it was due to her close proximity to Legolas.

"Thank you," Chloe whispered. Legolas smiled softly, almost sympathetically, but it calmed Chloe down significantly. It was the first time she had seen him smile since the death of Boromir, the first time at all, and she could not help the little flutter her heart had. He truly was beautiful; his eyes were bright, his hair clean and soft, his skin was flawless and held a slight glow to it. He was graceful, strong, powerful… a warrior in every aspect. And yet, his voice was soft and soothing. Her thoughts kept on rambling.

"Do not worry. Rest now, whilst you can." Obediently, Chloe closed her eyes and slowly drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

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><p>The group was running between two slanting walls of rock when Strider came to a sudden halt. He stooped down and picked up something small from the ground. Chloe, who was now back on her own feet, and a naturally curious person, stood on the tips of her toes so that she could peer over Legolas' shoulder. She tried to see what the two were studying, but it was obscured slightly by Legolas' long, golden hair.<p>

"Not idly do the leaves of Lórien fall," Strider said, and held up the tiny object for Chloe to have a better look at. It was a fastening brooch, the same as Gimli, Legolas and Strider wore clasped at the hollow of their throats. Chloe smiled in relief.

"This means that they're still alive, doesn't it? I mean… aren't they?" Her smile faltered as she waited for an answer. Legolas stared off into the distance and Strider at the brooch. The silence spoke volumes. It whispered to her fears, and the dread that she had run from came creeping back.

"Surely, they can't be… dead." The word left a bitter taste in her mouth. Pippin and Merry, the two liveliest creatures she had met, couldn't be dead. She refused to believe so, and tried her best to push all her doubts away. But, it was hard trying to remain positive when all she wanted to do was curl up on the ground and sleep. The group fell silent as they waited for Strider to reach a conclusion to his clear inner debate. As they waited, Legolas passed around a thin cake of some bread-like substance. It was a small piece and looked very plain, but Chloe, who was so hungry by then that she would have eaten dirt if offered it, accepted her piece happily. She tried to suppress the urge to shove it in her mouth, and nibbled at the corner instead. It tasted divine! She shot a curious look at Legolas.

"What is it?"

"It is lembas, or more commonly known as way bread. One bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown Man, and one cake is sufficient for a full day's march." Chloe took another bite of the lembas bread. Could it really be true? Her eyes widened in amazement as she gradually no longer felt hungry. She even felt a small surge of energy rush back into her tired limbs. Both Gimli and Legolas noted her expression, and they both allowed themselves a small chuckle at her expense. Chloe looked down at the tiny piece she had left; it was no bigger than the nail of her thumb. With a happy smile, she placed it on the tip of her tongue and swallowed.

"They may yet be alive," Strider said suddenly. Chloe jumped and her mind snapped back to the desperate matter at hand. Pippin and Merry! They may yet be alive. Chloe felt her heart soar with delight.

"Really? Are you sure? How far away are they?" She shot to her feet.

"They are less than a day ahead of us. Come!" Strider was off running again, and the rest of the group followed suit. The small respite and the mouthful of the Elven bread had given Chloe some of her former strength back, but she was still far from rested. However, now armed with the knowledge that Pippin and Merry could still be alive, Chloe felt as if she could run the entire length of the plains of Rohan twice.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Wow. It's been 4 months. I'm so sorry! I hope you guys are still with me, for here is, finally, the next chapter! Tell me what you think ;)**

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><p><span>Over the hills and far away<span>

The ground was shaking. Chloe took that to be a bad omen, especially since Legolas had just proclaimed that since the rising Sun was red, blood had been spilt. What was the cause of the rumbling ground? Who was dead? In any case, were her companions and she next? Strider motioned hurriedly towards a cluster of huge boulders, which happened to be fortunately close, and they ran for cover. Gimli snarled, ready for battle, but was hushed by Legolas, who held up a hand. He had his eyes closed, and Chloe discerned that he was listening for whatever was out there.

"Horses," he simply stated.

"How many?" Strider asked.

"I cannot tell. However, they are Rohirrim." Apparently, that was a self-sufficient explanation, and without another word, Strider strode forth from the shadows of the boulders and onto the open mark. He was followed immediately by Legolas and Gimli, but Chloe hesitated. The shaking ground reminded her too much of the bad dream she had dreamt before waking up in this strange place. Besides, she was safe behind the boulder. Wasn't she? Then again, she trusted Strider. If he trusted these "Rohirrim" it must be safe. With a deep breath to steady her nerves, she hurried behind the remainder of the Fellowship.

The first thing that struck her was just how many horses there were. Chloe had never been very fond of big animals; she was more of a cat person. The next was the smell. As surreptitiously as she could so as to not offend, she hid the lower part of her face in her cloak. It was apparent that the Men and their horses had been working hard, and hadn't bathed in days. The again, she hadn't either. Feeling suddenly a little ashamed of herself, she lifted her head and tried not to wrinkle her nose. It was then she noticed that the riders had closed in around them, with their spears pointed towards them. Chloe glanced around nervously. There was no means of escape. Not knowing what else to do, she grabbed on to the hilt of the small dagger that Aragorn had given her, and prayed that she wouldn't faint or die.

A strong voice spoke suddenly from somewhere in front of her and Chloe looked up. She wasn't sure who had spoken; they all looked the same with their long hair and helmets, and the horses kept jostling about.

"What business does an Elf, a Man, a Dwarf and a…woman?" The Man began, but stopped, seemingly concerned and jumping to his own conclusions. He continued after the little pause. "What business do you have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly."

"Give me your name, Horsemaster, and I shall give you mine," Gimli replied, somewhat angrily, and waved his axe menacingly. Chloe tried not to gape. What was he doing threatening the horse people? They had the long spears and the obvious upper hand. She had figured Gimli liked to fight, but she had never thought him crazy enough to do something so rash. Hopefully Strider would yet again save the day.

The Rohirrim bristled and the Man who had spoken dismounted his horse. He looked thoroughly displeased.

"I would cut off your head, Dwarf," he growled, "if it stood but a little higher from the ground."

Before anyone could say another word, Legolas had notched an arrow and aimed it straight and the Man's face. "You would die before your stroke fell!" Chloe gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth before she realized she had. This couldn't end well. All the riders pointed their spears a little closer to the travelers. Chloe stared at the gleaming tips with tears burning in her eyes. She wished she could have seen the Hobbits again. She wished she had never come to this horrible place.

The tension was almost tangible. It was silent but for the noises the horses made, and it seemed as if everyone was holding their breaths, waiting for the command. None came, and eventually Aragorn pushed Legolas' arm downwards. Chloe's stomach did a summersault and she wiped furiously at the few tears that had dared to escape. Being so close to death, so often in a space of so few days as she had, was really making her emotions unsteady. If there was ever an end to it all, she would like nothing more than to sit at home all day and never do anything silly or dangerous ever again.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Glóin. This is Legolas of the Woodland realm and Chloe Lambert. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king." Chloe had to stifle a small giggle. Her mood really did change quickly. Aragorn was for all the world trying to sound formal, and her name just sounded so informal. Legolas must have heard her small outburst and sent her a rather reproachful look. Chloe wanted to return it, despite the situation; he was, after all, the one who had drawn the arrow, but his pointed look sobered her up. Instead, she felt her cheeks start to burn slightly and looked away at her now interesting boots. After that, she only half listened to the conversation. Why was she continuously nervous around the Elf? He had done her no harm. In fact, he had been nothing but kind and caring, if maybe a bit wary at first, which was only understandable.

Chloe's ears pricked up again when she heard "Hobbits" being mentioned. She looked up to see who was speaking. It was Gimli, asking the Rohír if he had seen them. "But there were two Hobbits. Did you see two Hobbits with them?"

Aragorn continued to describe them. "They would be small, only children to your eyes." Chloe looked in earnest at the tall Man, thinking that he could only have a positive answer, but he only shook his head.

"We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them." Chloe, who was very confused by what he meant with "left none alive", followed his gaze and saw, to her horror, that there was, in fact, smoke rising from a distance. She looked back at Aragorn in bewilderment. He met her stare with sad eyes.

The Rohirrim did not linger long after that; it was all too clear that the strange companions were grieving. They left behind them two horses, for which Chloe was extremely grateful. Though she wasn't too fond of horses, the fact that she was getting to ride instead of running overshadowed all her fears. She shared the same horse as Aragorn, something she was pleased about. She thought she might have had a hard time sitting in such close proximity to Legolas, and she wasn't sure about how well Gimli would do on horseback.

Aragorn turned out to be an excellent rider, and Chloe sat behind him contently. However, the small relief faded fast as they neared the still smoking mound of bodies. The same acrid smell that had clung lightly to the riders was here intensified by a tenfold and Chloe's eyes began to water. She immediately pinched her nose shut. With the help of Aragorn, she managed to slide off the horse without hurting herself or the animal. She then looked towards the pile of carcasses and worked hard to keep her eyes from constantly sliding over to the terrible image of an Uruk-hai's head on a spear. She trained her gaze instead on the ground surrounding the bodies, but saw nothing that gave her any pleasure. Starting to feel a little sick to the stomach, she turned her back to the horrible sight and surveyed instead the dark, looming forest that was merely a stone's throw away. Chloe shivered. She didn't quite like the look of it and would be perfectly happy if they didn't venture any closer. She had a nagging feeling, however, that they might have to enter, and as of late, her intuition had proved to be right again and again.

Chloe jumped when Legolas came up to her; he hadn't made a sound at all. He stood for a while, studying her quietly as if she were something he had seen before, but couldn't quite place.

"Are you alright?" he eventually asked. Chloe felt flustered for some reason and kept her gaze fixed on the horizon. She presumed herself to be relatively calm, but that changed when she opened her mouth and all her words tumbled out in one long, garbled sentence.

"I suppose so. I mean yes, I am, I think so, maybe. I'm not sure, no? I don't know." Legolas raised a sleek eyebrow and Chloe could swear she saw the corner of his mouth twitch. She sighed unhappily and shrugged. "It would seem I'm not."

"So it would." There was a small pause. Then Strider yelled. Chloe whipped around and looked about frantically. She saw Strider on his knees and her blood ran cold. Was he hurt? Legolas was already halfway there when she finally got her legs moving, but she didn't stop until she was beside Strider. Even the awful smell wouldn't keep her away. She looked down at him, scanning him for injuries. There were none, but for the pain in his eyes. Chloe's breathing hitched, and against her better instincts and all social etiquette, she bent down and hugged him. She wasn't quite sure who she was trying to console, herself or Strider. He was stiff and unresponsive to begin with, but as she pulled back to apologize, he put his arms around her and hugged her tightly. She felt someone's hand rest on her shoulder and, to her utter embarrassment, she felt the long suppressed tears start to run down her face. For the first time in days, she felt truly and completely safe and the intense relief of that feeling combined with the missing Hobbits was just a bit too much for her. Strider lifted her feet from under her and let her curl up in his lap. She pressed her face to his chest and cried freely.

Chloe didn't know how long she had cried, but eventually her tears dried up. She felt completely exhausted and ever so grateful. She was also extremely embarrassed. With red rimmed eyes and an apologetic smile, she pulled away from Strider. She wasn't quite sure she could look him in the eye, but she had no choice when he gently took her chin and tilted it upwards.

"Do not apologize. It is alright. We understand, all of us." Behind her she heard Gimli grunt in agreement. She smiled a half-smile, thinking about how uncomfortable her tears and wayward emotions must have made him feel. Maybe she should hug him, too? She nodded her head and looked at Strider again. His gaze was intent and on the ground right next to her. Next thing she knew, she was on her own on the ground and Strider was trailing a path only his eyes seemed to see, muttering to himself as he went. Chloe only caught the word "Hobbit", but that was enough to get her on her feet again. Along with Gimli and Legolas she trailed behind Strider, trying to see what he did. Strider picked up a piece of rope.

"Their hands were bound." He quickened his pace and Chloe had to jog to keep up.

"They ran over here. They were followed… the tracks lead away from the battle." He ran up to the dark forest and stopped there. Chloe gulped and closed her eyes. She had been right; they were going to go inside the big, bad forest.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I am so, so sorry for the long wait. I've been kept busy, but here I finally am again. It gets even better: I'm already halfway done with the next chapter, so hopefully you won't have to wait forever for the next part. A big shoutout to my beta, Gwedhiel0117. Your input has been and still is invaluable! For anyone still reading, _please read and review_. It means a lot :D Without further ado; Chloe!**

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><p><span>A Kingdom for my Horse<span>

The first thing that struck Chloe as they entered the forest was just how old it was. It didn't only look and smell old, it also felt old. It made Chloe feel uneasy and vulnerable all over again, and to be truthful, she was quite sick of it. She was also sick of walking. All she wanted was a decent night's rest, but here she was traipsing through a daunting forest with a horse in tow. Sadly, she had to walk alongside it instead of sitting on its back. The trees, more often than not, stood close together with low-hanging branches and great roots jutting haphazardly out of the ground, and that made it difficult for the horses to navigate. It seemed to her as if the whole forest was working together to stop them at any cost. Chloe tried to not to succumb to grumbling, but she couldn't help but sigh each time her cloak snagged on the roots or when her hair got caught by the lurking twigs that stretched out towards her like skeletal hands.

They went on at a brisk pace for the better part of the day, but as it neared dusk, Hasufel, the horse that was Chloe's responsibility, started to stop and look around every ten paces or so. All she could do was wait patiently, because no amount of pulling the reins or sweet talking would get him to move. She didn't dare try to push him from behind, afraid that he might hurt her or run off. Chloe accepted the animal's strange behaviour and attributed it to the spookiness of the forest, but she finally snapped when he stopped for the near thirtieth time. Tired and frustrated, she threw the reins away from her and stomped off ahead of the horse. If he wanted to follow, he would have to do it on his own accord. Chloe and the Hasufel had made up the rear of the group, and with the others far ahead, she sped up. Not paying attention to her surroundings, her left foot caught in one of the massive roots of a nearby tree, and she fell, hands first, to the ground. She cried out in pain, and tears welled in her eyes. She crawled slowly to her knees, cradling her right hand with the other. It was throbbing and it hurt awfully to move her fingers. The same went for the foot that had been caught in the roots.

Her mood and morale was now at lowest of low as she moved into a sitting position, and she thought her future looked rather bleak. She was somewhere in the middle of a dangerous forest with a painful hand, a useless foot, and a horse that could trample her at any moment. She felt a spasm of panic. Hadn't Legolas, with his extraordinary hearing, heard her fall? Had they finally had enough of her? The sound of a twig snapping and something sniffing made her tense. She was fairly certain that if it had been any member of the Fellowship, there wouldn't have been any sniffing noises. Did Uruk-hai roam this forest? Or perhaps it was something even more sinister? Another twig snapped, closer this time. Chloe's good hand went to her dagger, not that she could do much fighting in her state. Fortunately, she wouldn't have to: it was the horse, Hasufel. Chloe wasn't sure if that was an improvement, however. She doubted that the horse saw her as a friend in need of protection.

"What are you doing here? You're the one who wouldn't walk. Go away. Leave me alone." Chloe growled and shooed at the horse, but he had other ideas. He walked straight towards her, stopping only when he was squarely in front of her. Chloe cringed away, trying to keep from hyperventilating. Hasufel looked enormous from her view down on the ground.

"I told you to go away. What are you-?!" Chloe froze as the horse bent its head down to her eye level, and softly bumped his forehead towards hers. Was this normal horse behaviour? She could only remember them as uncooperative, grumpy and sometimes violent. Slowly, warily, she lifted her good hand toward the horse's face. She could see her reflection in his huge, dark eyes. She looked tired, dirty and tense. Her hair was greasy and had clustered in one, unflattering mess. She also looked so very small, as if she'd somehow become a child again. Gingerly, Chloe brushed her fingers against the white marking in the middle of Hasufel's forehead. It was coarse to touch, but she soon found herself rubbing it nonetheless. It seemed to make Hasufel happy as he sighed in a contented sort of way, and his eyelids drooped. After a while, Chloe found herself relaxing as well and the pain eased a bit.

"I suppose you're not the big, bad monster I had painted you out to be." She smiled as Hasufel replied with a soft snort. "In fact, you seem more like a giant, cuddly cat if anything, and maybe even a little bit magical." Chloe grinned as she imagined Hasufel on his back, trying desperately to reach for a ball of string. Again, Hasufel only replied with a snort.

"I miss my family," Chloe said suddenly. It was true, but it was the first time she had said it out loud. It felt very good to finally do so. Better yet, Hasufel was the only one here and he couldn't understand what she was saying, so it didn't feel embarrassing. There was no stumbling, mumbling or blushing which seemed to be the only ways she could react around the Fellowship.

"I miss having proper meals at regular intervals, that I can take a rest when I feel like it, baths and decent beds. I miss that the most dangerous thing that could happen was pricking myself on a needle or burning my tongue on hot soup. You would have liked my dad," Chloe rambled as she absentmindedly stroked Hasufel's muzzle. "He knows everything there is to know about horses and loves you lot more than anything, maybe, except mum. You would have liked her, too. She's the kindest, gentlest person I know. She's one of the few who treat me nice. She's pretty too. I don't think you'd like the rest of the village. I don't, except for my brothers and sisters, and Pierre and Hugo. They treat me well enough, even though.…" Chloe trailed off, suddenly embarrassed to speak the rest out loud. She could only deny the truth as long as she kept it inside of her. If she said it out loud, it would all be too real and too wrong.

"Even though, what?" Gimli's gruff voice said. Chloe looked up in terror to see all three of the companions and the other horse, Arod, looking at her. She felt an instant blush spreading over her face and her mind went blank, grasping only at single words.

"I… Well… You…I…No…"

"Are your hurt?" Strider asked.

"I… yes," Chloe mumbled. "I wasn't looking where I was going, and tripped and fell."

"How long have you been sitting here? It never occurred to you to call out for help?"  
>Chloe opened her mouth to reply, but found that she had no answer. Why hadn't she called out? Was she already so used to Strider immediately being by her side that she didn't think she had to? She had thought herself abandoned.<p>

"I don't know. I just didn't. I'm sorry." She hung her head dejectedly, much like a child when scolded by a parent. She felt rather than heard Strider sit down next to her, and when she peeked through her eyelashes, she saw that he was quietly examining her foot. He heard him sigh softly and rub his chin thoughtfully.

"The best I can do for your foot is to give you something to ease the pain. It is mild sprain, and only time will heal it. You will have to go the rest by horseback, which means we will have to teach you to ride." He turned then to Legolas and Gimli. "We will rest here for a few hours." He turned back to Chloe.

"Is there anything else that is injured?"  
>Chloe showed him her hand, which was bleeding from various cuts, and saw his eyes darken. Her thumb and index finger had not only turned a light shade of purple, they had also started to swell. She looked at them in horror.<p>

"What's wrong with them?" she squeaked. She felt rather lightheaded and slightly nauseous, and the pain she had repressed was making itself known again. Chloe was sure she knew the answer, she had seemed similar cases back home, but it felt completely surreal that it was happening to her.

"They are most likely broken," Strider said, confirming Chloe's suspicions. "This will make the riding lessons even more difficult, especially as you'll undoubtedly need a strong painkiller." Strider seemed to be thinking hard. "Legolas could carry you, but that would mean that Gimli would be in charge of Hasufel, which I admit, might not end well."  
>Chloe realized suddenly how much of a burden to the fellowship she truly was. She had been slow from the start, but now her injuries would slow them down further. It would seem fate had decided to be truly cruel towards her. If going on horseback was faster, she would have to do so, despite the pain. She owed the companions so much. With a small smile she looked up at Hasufel and gripped his forelock lightly. He neighed softly in return, and kept perfectly still. Chloe had to admit that horses still terrified her, but if anyone could change that, it would be Hasufel. She peeked at Strider from the corner of her eyes. He was watching her intently, and yet again the all too familiar blush crept to her face. She cleared her throat.<p>

"I shan't mind the pain. It isn't too bad." She crossed the fingers of her good hand behind her back. The pain was building at a rapid pace, and she found clouding er thoughts. Just the idea of moving either her injured foot or hand, made her sick to the stomach. "If it's for the better, I will learn how to ride."

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><p><em><strong>So, tell me what you think? :D<strong>_


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Yay! That wasn't the longest wait now, was it? Poor Chloe is going through a lot, but maybe her future will be better (hopefully). Sooo... Thanks to everyone who has commented, favourited and such! Big smiles and hugs all around. Enjoy :)**

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><p>Chloe looked in distaste down at the green coloured wrapping that covered her injured hand. She had the same poultice on her foot, but that was covered by her boots, which were fortunately so big as to allow movement for her swollen ankle. It smelled terribly, but it did the job of numbing the pain. Well, to a certain degree at least. As long as she didn't put any weight on the foot, clenched her hand or in general didn't move to quickly, the pain was tolerable; like a nagging at the back of the mind.<p>

"Are you ready?" Chloe looked up to see Strider waiting patiently with Hasufel behind him. A tight, nervous smile touched her lips. She didn't really have a choice. She had to learn to ride if she were to keep up with the rest of the group. Hasufel seemed kind enough, if a bit stubborn, but Strider had said he'd talked to the horse; to make him understand her situation. A couple of days ago she would have laughed at the notion, but after spending time in his company, she wouldn't be surprised if he actually could talk to animals. Slowly, she hobbled her way towards Hasufel. Standing next to him, she felt small. Her head was the same height as Hasufel's back. How was she going to get up on his back?

"Had you not been injured, you could merely step into the stirrup. Seeing as you are, I will teach you to jump on. I will help lift you. Place your left hand on the saddle and grab hold. You will need to push hard when I say so. It will be easier if you use your injured hand as well. Lean your weight on your arm, so that you will not hurt yourself. If you can do so, bend your left leg by the knee. Now, I will give you a boost by lifting your knee. Again, when I say so, you have to jump with your right leg so that you lie flat on Hasufel's back. Or, if you can in one movement, swing your right leg over his back." Chloe clenched her jaw as she did as she was told. It wasn't painful as such, but it certainly wasn't comfortable.

"Very well," Strider said. "Three… two… one!" Chloe pushed hard on her good hand and jumped as high as she could. With the help of Strider she found herself lying flat across Hasufel's back. It felt very awkward.

"What do I do now?" Chloe called. She had already forgotten.

"Try and lift your foot," he answered. Chloe couldn't see anything going on behind her and, naturally, she jumped when something touched her leg. The movement caused her to fall backwards, and with her luck she landed on her injured foot. She bit back a scream, but hissed through her teeth. Tears blurred her vision, and her foot was throbbing so much it almost felt alive.

"Steady," Strider exclaimed, and supported her by holding around her waist. "How is your foot?"

"I'm fine. Its fine," she gasped, sounding anything but fine.

"Shall we try again later?"

"No! No… I'm fine. I'm ready. Please, let me try again."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I need to learn this." Strider let go of her waist and bent down again, waiting for her knee. Chloe took hold of Hasufel's saddle again and tensed, ready to jump. This time she wanted to do it in one, fluid motion.

"Three… two… one!" Again, Chloe jumped. Again she ended up lying across on her stomach, but this time she remembered what to do. Supporting herself by her arms, careful not to put any weight on her hand, she swung her leg across Hasufel's rump and heaved herself into a sitting position. Feeling quite pleased with herself, she beamed down at Strider. She looked over to Gimli and Legolas who were both smiling at her. Gimli was even chuckling. Chloe felt rather like a child who had learned a new, complicated word, and she couldn't stop smiling. Not even pain could dampen her spirits.

After learning how to get on a horse, Chloe had to learn everything else; how to get off one, how to make him walk and how to steer. Her biggest wish throughout the whole ordeal was that Hasufel had been a lot shorter than he was. She spent the next half hour or so jumping up and crawling down, and by the end she was sore all over. Her foot was the worst. The pain seemed to fluctuate: mostly it was bearable, but sometimes it hurt so bad she found it hard to think. Thankfully her hand wasn't too bad. She had managed to avoid jostling it around too much.

As soon as Strider was completely sure that Chloe could manage Hasufel on her own, they set off again on their search for the Hobbits. Chloe still felt a little unsure about riding, she seemed to be swaying a little in the saddle, but she was positive she wouldn't let her fear get the best of her. However, she was also quite proud of herself. Not only was she a top a horse, she was also in control, not that she had to do much. Hasufel was content with plodding behind Arod and just followed him wherever he went. The only times she had to concentrate was when she had to bend down to avoid the low-hanging branches that seemed to become more and more frequent.

Nobody was talking. Gimli was humming nervously to himself. Chloe noted he seemed to have a very firm grip on his axe. Legolas and Strider seemed perfectly at ease, both moving gracefully despite the dense and treacherous undergrowth. She was amazed how either of them could spot any tracks, but they were walking determinately as if they knew where they going so they must have found something to lead them. She peered down at the ground and squinted. At first sight all she could see was leaves, but after some time a pattern seemed to appear. With regular intervals there were large marks in the earth, as if something huge had been dragged along. After a while she saw that they occurred both on her left and right side. Excited, she tried to estimate the distance. Then she tried to guess what had made them. It had to be a large animal of some sort. Chloe shuddered when she realized just how big it would have to be to makes those marks. She then wondered how the creature made them. Was it dragging something along? Shifting it from side to side? It couldn't be… They were to regular and the space to even. Were they footprints? Chloe shivered at the thought and hoped that whatever it was it would be friendly.

Something caught her gaze and she looked up to see Gimli. He had stopped and was looking intently at a bush. She was about to ask why when he stuck a finger in his mouth and immediately spit something out.

"Orc blood," he growled, grabbing hold of his axe again and moving towards the others. Up ahead, Legolas and Strider seemed to be talking earnestly to each other. Chloe wanted to hear what they were saying, but she was too far back and Arod was in the way. With a sigh she slowly began to climb down from Hasufel, making sure only to land on her good foot. She then started to hobble towards the others, eyeing the orc blood warily. Hasufel tried to follow her, whinnying quietly.

"Hush now. I'll be right back." she cooed. By the time she made it to the rest of the group, they had all drawn their weapons. Strider spotted her and hurriedly motioned for her to back away.

"Go back to Hasufel, and cover your ears as best you can." He then turned to the others. "We must be quick." Chloe, who understood that time was of the essence saw plainly that she would not make it back to Hasufel in time, so she dashed towards the nearest tree, ignoring the biting pain in her foot. She covered one ear with her good hand, and afraid to use her injured one, pressed the other to her shoulder. It didn't stop her from hearing the companions yell. As surreptitiously as she could, Chloe peered fearfully around the thick mast and saw nothing more than a bright light that stung her eyes. She retreated behind the tree and rubbed at them furiously. With her ears now uncovered she heard a clear, authoritative voice speaking.

"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits."

"Where are they?" Strider asked, a note of anger in his voice.

"They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does this comfort you?" Chloe covered her eyes, but again stuck her head out from her hiding place, eager to know more about Pippin and Merry's situation.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Strider yelled, taking a menacing step towards the light. It glowed brighter for a split second before it faded to reveal the figure of an old man. He had long white hair paired with a matching beard. He wore white robes and held a white staff. He was almost as bright as the light that had shone mere moments before. The first and only word that popped into Chloe's head was "wizard." Her mind couldn't find any other word that fit him better. She glanced at him nervously before looking to Strider. He looked as astounded as she was. Legolas and Gimli had bowed. Whoever this was, it was someone they knew and respected. Chloe looked back to the wizard and met his gaze. It felt ancient, wise and, most importantly, kind.

"Do not be afraid, Chloe Lambert. I am Gandalf, and I am here to help."

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><p><strong>And again, as always, pretty please review :D C'mon. Tell me what you think ^^<strong>


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